The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Lobelia, botanically known as Lobelia erinus and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Tech Darbule.’
‘Tech Darbule’ is a product of a planned breeding program. The new cultivar originated from a hybridization made in January 2004 in Andijk, Netherlands.
The female parent was an unpatented proprietary Lobelia plant designated ‘LOB04-314-1.’ ‘LOB04-314-1’ has a deeper dark blue flower color and shorter stems than ‘Tech Darbule.’
The male parent of ‘Tech Darbule’ was an unpatented proprietary Lobelia plant designated ‘LOB04-288-1.’ ‘LOB04-288-1’ has a light blue flower color and more upright plant habit than ‘Tech Darbule.’
The resulting seeds were sown in March 2004 and ‘Tech Darbule’ was selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in July 2004 in a controlled environment in Andijk, Netherlands.
The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘Tech Darbule’ was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were propagated from the initial selection in the fall of 2004 in a controlled environment in Andijk, Netherlands.
Horticultural examination of plants grown from cuttings of the plant initiated in the spring of 2005 in Andijk, Netherlands, and in Hillscheid, Germany, and continuing thereafter, has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for ‘Tech Darbule’ are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.
‘Tech Darbule’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity and day length.
A Plant Breeders' Right for this cultivar was applied for with the European Union on Sep. 13, 2007. ‘Tech Darbule’ has not been made publicly available more than one year prior to the filing of this application.